A Storm
by Fallen Gods Rise
Summary: A doctor walked into a bar. Seriously I just had the idea for the Doctor and LaCroix to meet and discuss old times.


**A Storm**

By Fallen Gods Rise

Summary Its less than 2000 words! Just read it. Fine okay you want a summary, a doctor walked into a bar. Seriously I just had the idea for the Doctor and LaCroix to discuss old times.

Disclaimer I don't own Forever Knight or Doctor Who, nor Nigel or David. Did you really think I did? Also this is my very first story so consider yourself warned. Some quotes from Forever Knight were butchered and put on display in the making of this fic.

He'd been told that the investigating officer could often be found here, though now he was here himself he doubted that. It started with a suicide well a panicked news report about the apocalypse, but that was just what the news said and who believed TV these days. Everyone it seemed, honestly shouldn't humanity know better by now. News on telly is just like ghost stories round the campfire just there to give you a scare. Still this was a bit different no vague threats about Iraq or Osama, no wait 1993 that hadn't happened yet, right what was everyone worried about now, Cuba? No, USSR? No that was over too. Oh Iraq, but the first one not the sequel.

A sudden blast of noise washed over him refocusing his wandering mind on the present, well allons-y He marched forward pushing through the door and in to 'The Raven'. The noise formed into words and apparently the night was calling someone's name. Not really his cup of tea but not too bad and come to think of it, it was good to do something different, something new and even after 904 years a Canadian nightclub _was_ a new experience. See he didn't need a companion he was just fine by himself, better than fine, really. Now if he could just figure out why humanity was tearing itself apart over a harmless piece of debris called '6748' ugh and he thought Time Lords were horrendous at naming things. After a few minutes of pushing through the crush of bodies, 2 elbows to the soft tissue, half a dozen very inappropriate touches and one that on some worlds would have necessitated marriage he made it to the bar.

"Hi, umm wondering if you can help me, I'm looking for someone"

She was petite, Asian and was that? Yep that was definitely a bra she was wearing as a top, blimey.

She gave him a bored once over before replying "There's a club full of them right behind you, now unless you want something to drink I'm busy" She went back to wiping the bar.

"Right, sorry I meant a specific someone. Nick Knight, Detective Nick Knight"

"He comes here sometimes, was here a while ago, you should speak to Janette" she gestured with her head to a gorgeous Brunette in an old fashioned red dress well not that he could judge contemporary fashion his sixth incarnation's taste had been truly appalling. Still he'd come along way since then, pin-stripes always looked good.

Janette was with another woman right now, a slightly drunk woman who was smoking, probably telling her to put it out, no, right not illegal yet. When she offered the other woman coffee he figured they were friends or at least new each other. It also meant Janette most likely wouldn't be back soon and he really didn't want to go over there and get involved in something _domestic_. No he'd face Slitheen, Judoon and Daleks but _not_ domestics. It was during this consideration that he became aware of another voice speaking to him.

"…with dear Nicholas" He was an older man with short thinning white hair and dressed all in black. He had a slightly bored aristocratic look on his face, brilliant voice though very hypnotic, though not actually as that would be bad.

"Hmm sorry, Nicholas? Oh Detective Knight, you know him?"

"Yes we go back quite awhile"

Excellent, A window closes a cupboard opens or whatever the saying is "I'd like to talk to him if that's possible"

The older man simply raised an elegant brow.

"Oh of course sorry, I'm the Doctor"

A faintly amused look settled over the older mans features "How mysterious, Doctor who? No matter, you may address me as LaCroix, Lucien LaCroix"

"Right, great," The Doctors ebullience was building to almost Tigger-like levels "Pleased to meet you Lucy…" There was a slight twitch of the eyebrow "-en, Lucien. Now about Nick" hoping he had not just lost his chance at tracking the detective.

"And what may I ask is this concerning? A lost dog perhaps? A kitten stuck up a tree?"

Right okay sarcasm fortunately the Doctor was prepared. Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out his psychic paper flashed it at LaCroix and said in a commanding tone of voice "Scotland Yard, here by special request"

The predatory smile that answered this statement was unusual and to be frank a bit unnerving. "An interesting item, and what exactly is 'Psychic paper' Doctor"

With a quick wide-eyed look at the paper that instead of being an absolutely brilliant fake Scotland Yard ID simply read, 'This is psychic paper'. "Err I guess you're resistant to psychic phenomena then, that's a bit inconvenient really."

"Yes, it usually is. Still the fact remains and I do become curiouser and curiouser" LaCroix's smirk was that of a jungle cat enjoying his preys realization that it is utterly trapped.

"Right, yes I expect you would be, thing is umm people don't usually believe me without proof and I don't really have time for all that so…"

"Ahh but I'm not most people I have learned to believe in impossible things. I've seen men walk upon the surface of the moon, children born speaking long-dead languages and Harry Houdini had a rather nifty trick with handcuffs and a milk can full of water."

"Ooh I know that was rather good, I saw the first performance you know."

"Really," both eyebrows raised this time "and you don't look a day over 60"

"Hah Nine hundred if you please" It took a second for what he had just said to penetrate his vastly over-clocked brain, to the great amusement of LaCroix naturally.

LaCroix smirked "Really Doctor, I have a daughter your age perhaps I should introduce you?" He was enjoying this far more than was decent, but then he had parted company with decency long ago.

The Doctors eyes went comically wide as he attempted to re-engage the connection between his mind and mouth. "Ah yes that would be... umm… well obviously what I meant was… err… look can we just forget that bit and go back to Detective Knight."

"Of course Doctor we are both more than we seem, lets leave it at that. But then we simply must return to my previous question."

"Fair enough, which was umm?"

"Why you are looking for Nicholas while the sky is falling. What could possibly be so important?"

"Actually its about that you see he's investigating the suicide of one of the scientists tracking asteroid 6748 and since Earth doesn't get hit by a meteor of note for another hundred and fifty years. I know it doesn't hit and I'm pretty sure they must know that unless they're completely stupid!" At this point the Doctors voice took on a darker quality "I want to know why the whole planets been thrown into chaos over nothing! Why thousands of people are dead!"

"You believe you know the Earths fate, if it in fact has one at all." LaCroix has a faint almost perverse look of entertainment on his face.

"Oh yes because I've seen it. I know how much is ahead of you so many wonders, how many triumphs and tragedies too. But not this one, this was never supposed to happen someone did this and I want to know why."

"A lot of very learned people would seem to disagree with you Doctor. It's the end of all life or so I'm told"

"Oh what do they know, stupid humans" although the last is said under the Doctors breath LaCroix hears it clearly, strange yesterday it would have seemed so much more amusing, before his talk with Nicholas. "Look 'life will find a way' alright it's… wait, no hang on a mo, that's Jurassic Park. Do you have that yet? Well any way not important. What was I trying to say?"

LaCroix had gone absolutely still "She said the same." Another moment of stillness, almost sacred before he spoke again "Life can cheat death."

The Doctor responded to the sudden awkwardness the way he always did, he ignored it. "Right yes, exactly. Smart girl."

"If there is such a thing as fate, then it was there in that place at that time that mine was set. When Vesuvius spewed forth its angry fire it burned my home, my family and my beloved, if somewhat less than eternal city of Pompeii." LaCroix's eyes were unfocused as he stood once again in that long destroyed mansion.

The recollections were powerful even after all this time. Divia sat next to him as he woke "Where is your mother?" Divia smiled in response "She is doomed, but I'm going to live forever." His laughter echoed back to the present.

"Everything I was burned with them. The General of Rome died in the mountains inferno. She was there in the midst of it urging me to choose to live forever over death even as I railed against the gods for their crime.

At the mention of Vesuvius the Doctor lost his bounce and a look of equal parts sorrow and horror filled his features. "I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry" He reached out to put his hand on LaCroix's shoulder as if some small act of comfort would lessen his guilt.

LaCroix pulled back his imperious mien restored "I saw Nicholas an hour ago at home. I believe he was heading to the precinct, you can catch him if you hurry."

The Doctor whose enemies could never silence him had nothing to say. He had what he had come for, subdued he turned to leave without offering a goodbye.

After a couple of steps he heard LaCroix speak softly again "I still understand no more now than then. What kind of Gods can create such perversity? How can they justify such torment?" Bitterness had entered his voice and now dominated it "Are we so small, so far beneath them that they can exterminate us without pause?"

As he spoke the Doctor did not turn around, in fact dared not as the tears in his eyes would certainly fall if he had to see as well as hear this stranger's pain. Pain _he_ had caused. Each of his questions were cannonballs shot into his gut. Slowly he answered. "Not Gods, never Gods"

He began to walk away again even as he finished his thought.

"A Storm"

**The End**

Lines I could not make fit

"You would perhaps be surprised the unexpected effects a natural disaster can have on ones fate Doctor" – Lucien LaCroix

Good luck hunting your Jabberwock Doctor – Lucien LaCroix


End file.
